Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Bẩy Tuần thứ 18 Thường Niên

 Suy Niệm Tin Mừng thứ Bẩy Tuần thứ 18 Thường Niên

Trong bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, cho chúng ta thấy là các môn đệ của Chúa Giêsu đã không thể chữa lành cho một cậu bé bị động kinh. Phản ứng của Chúa Giêsu lúc này có vẻ như nghiêm khắc; nhưng thực sự là Chúa đã nóng lòng, muốn cứu cậu bé vì lòng từ bi và tình yêu thương của ngài. Chúng ta có thể nhận ra rõ ràng là Chúa Giêsu đã thất vọng với các môn đệ của Ngài vì họ thiếu niềm tin, và mối quan tâm của Ngài là cấp tốc để đáp ứng với việc giải quyết những nhu cầu khó khăn của cha con cậu bé trong lúc khó khăn này. Với một lời Chúa Giêsu quở trách thần ô uế vì đã gây ra nỗi khổ cho cậu bé này và Ngài ra lệnh cho thần ô uế là “không bao giờ được trở lại và ám hai cậu bé này nữa".

Chúa Giêsu nói với các môn đệ rằng họ có thể "dời được ngọn núi" nếu họ có niềm tin vào Thiên Chúa. Cái biểu hiện để "dời ngọn núi đi nơi khác" là một cụm từ phổ biến của người Do Thái thường dùng để ám chỉ cho những việc làm quá khó khăn, ngoài trí tưởng tưởng của con người. Một người thầy khôn ngoan, là người có thể giải quyết những vấn đề khó khăn đã được gọi là một người "dời núi". Nếu chúng ta cầu nguyện với niềm tin trông cậy vào Thiên Chúa, thì Ngài cũng sẽ ban cho chúng ta phương tiện và chỉ cách cho chúng ta để vượt qua những khó khăn và những trở ngại. Với đức tin và sự tin tưởng phó thác vào Thiên Chúa, chúng ta sẽ không còn phải sợ sệt và lo ngại khi chúng ta gặp phải những thử thách, khó khăn và thất vọng.

"Lạy Chúa Giêsu, xin Chúa củng cố đức tin của chúng con để chúng con biết đặt niềm tin vào quyền năng cứu độ của Chúa. Xin hãy cho chúng con biết tự tin và có sự kiên trì, đặc biệt là trong những lời cầu nguyện. Và giúp chúng con biết mang lại tình yêu và chân lý cứu độ của Chúa đến với những người mà chúng con sẽ gặp hôm nay và ngày mai.".

Meditation: "Nothing will be impossible to you"

In this Gospel incident the disciples of Jesus fail to heal an epileptic boy. Jesus' response seems stern; but it is really tempered with love and compassion. We see at once Jesus' dismay with the disciples' lack of faith and his concern to meet the need of this troubled boy and his father. With one word of command Jesus rebukes the evil spirit that has caused this boy's affliction and tells the spirit to "never enter him again".

Pray with expectant faith

Jesus tells his disciples that they can "remove mountains" if they have faith in God. The expression to "remove mountains" was a common Jewish phrase for removing difficulties. A wise teacher who could solve difficulties was called a "mountain remover". If we pray with expectant faith God will give us the means to overcome difficulties and obstacles. When you meet trials and disappointments how do you respond? With faith and trust in Jesus? "Lord Jesus, help my unbelief! Increase my faith and trust in your saving power. Give me confidence and perseverance, especially in prayer. And help me to bring your healing love and truth to those I meet".\

Saturday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Opening Prayer: Come Holy Spirit, come into my heart, purify me, and lead me through this encounter with the Trinity.

Encountering Christ:

· The Father’s Prayer: We see here a father’s heart at prayer. This man knelt down before Jesus, and said, “Lord, have pity on my son…” We can imagine how deeply these words penetrated the heart of Jesus. He was moved to compassion for both that boy and his father. Why was this father’s prayer so powerful?

· Openness to God: This father was persevering and confident in the power of Jesus. “I brought him to your disciples but they could not cure him,” the man told Jesus. When we do not get what we expect from prayer, do we wallow in disappointment, discouragement, or anger? Or do we pray to be more patient, persevering, and humble? Do we recognize that our “failures in prayer” could be one way God strengthens our faith?

· A Mustard Seed of Faith: Pure hearts are faith-filled and faithful, and God hears the pleas of these just souls: “The clean of hand and pure of heart, who has not given his soul to useless things, what is vain. He will receive blessings from the Lord” (Psalms 24:4-5). We must continually look at the motivations of our hearts and beg the Lord to increase our faith and purify us. The purer we are, the more effective is our prayer. And, as Jesus reminds us, the pure-hearted can move mountains in the establishment of his kingdom here on earth.

Conversing with Christ: Oh my Lord, I know you want me to have a clean heart and I am willing to pay any sacrificial price you ask of me. Show me where I need purification and give me the strength to do what is necessary, so that I can move mountains on your behalf and for your glory.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will pray to hear and discern what you want to purify in me and seek out the sacrament of reconciliation as a first step.

Meditation 2020:

What kind of faith does the Lord expect of us, especially when we meet set-backs and trials?

Inevitably there are times when each of us disappoint others or disappoint ourselves when we suffer some kind of set-back or failure. In this Gospel incident the disciples of Jesus fail to heal an epileptic boy. Jesus' response seems stern; but it is really tempered with love and compassion. We see at once Jesus' dismay with the disciples' lack of faith and his concern to meet the need of this troubled boy and his father. With one word of command Jesus rebukes the evil spirit that has caused this boy's affliction and tells the spirit to "never enter him again".

Pray with expectant faith

Jesus tells his disciples that they can "remove mountains" if they have faith in God. The expression to "remove mountains" was a common Jewish phrase for removing difficulties. A wise teacher who could solve difficulties was called a "mountain remover". If we pray with expectant faith God will give us the means to overcome difficulties and obstacles. When you meet trials and disappointments how do you respond? With faith and trust in Jesus?

Lord Jesus, help my unbelief! Increase my faith and trust in your saving power. Give me confidence and perseverance, especially in prayer. And help me to bring your healing love and truth to those I meet

Epriest

Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, I believe you want me to have faith in you, faith that hearkens to your words without any second-guessing. I hope in your words, not relying solely on my strength or reasoning. I love you. You continue to astonish me by showing me that your ways are not my ways.

Petition: Lord, give me the grace to trust you.

1. Never a Dull Moment: Just before this event, the apostles were with Christ at the Transfiguration. Have you ever come out of a retreat on fire to change the world, and then the unexpected cross comes your way – a negative comment, a temptation you have not had before, a tragedy in the family? You were in the clouds surrounded by God’s glory, and then you came crashing down to the reality of this world. Let the moments of glory be your strength to face and persevere through all the challenges that lie ahead. We have to be strong. We have to keep moving ahead even though we seem to have bullets flying by our heads, as do soldiers in war. We have to have faith.

2. Genuine Faith: The apostles go out and think they can cure people, but they forget the secret ingredient – faith. It is not the apostles who are doing the work; it is God working through them. Could it be that they had forgotten this fact and fell into presumption? How often do we have a great time at prayer, only to walk out the door and return to our self-centeredness? We have no power aside from Christ. Put your faith into action. Make sure your actions are done with Christ and through Christ.

3. Looking Back: Let’s move forward to the time when Peter looked back on all these occurrences and realized how patient our Lord had been with him. He also saw Christ’s merciful love to all people. Do I find daily nourishment in seeing how patient and merciful our Lord is? Do I often lose my cool and get anxious simply because I do not know how to deal with others’ faults or with people who clash with me? Is it tough for me when people do not see the obvious? Am I short-tempered with others, not dealing well with their shortcomings and failures? Turn to Christ. Look at him, see his simple smile and recall how long he waited for you to look him in the eyes and change your ways.

Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, you always had your hand stretched out to me, but often I used my hands for my endeavors. Take me by the hand now, and lead me where you want me to go.

Reflection: odd year

The first reading from the book of Deuteronomy (Dt 6: 4 – 13) reminds Israel of their covenant to love and serve God "with all [their] heart, with all [their] soul and with all [their] strength."

We cannot be Christians only on Sundays, only while we are in church, only when we are in prayer meetings, only when we are around people we like or only when it is convenient for us. We are to be Christians in every thought, word, and deed and in every situation we face each day of our lives.

We aim to reach heaven and see God face to face, but not for ourselves alone. Our role as parents and as Christians is to teach our children about God, how to develop a personal relationship with him, and to love him with their whole being. We need to imprint in their minds and hearts that everything comes from God, their talents, their intelligence, everything that they own. Their current position in life is not out of their own doing but because God gave them the capacity and the tools to succeed. Therefore, we owe it to God to serve him and offer our entire lives for his greater glory by serving others. This is our mission, that others may hear the Good News, experience it in their lives and see God face to face at the end of time.

How can we be reminded of God's faithfulness and love for each of us, to help develop a personal relationship with him? Prayers during the day when the Spirit leads, reading of Scriptures which remind us how God protected and healed his people, partaking of the Eucharist during mass, and the unconditional love of family and friends all point to our one God, one Father who loved us first.

REFLECTION

An aspirant to religious life once shared his struggles with his faith with his mentor. The aspirant said, "How can I hold on to God when I am filled with uncertainties and cannot see his hand? " The mentor replied, "That is precisely what faith is. Faith is consciously choosing to hold on to God even if you do not see his hand, especially in the midst of uncertainties."

In the first reading Moses professes Israel's firm belief in the one Yahweh God.

We see in today's Gospel reading a man who faithfully entrusted his epileptic son to Jesus. His faith and surrender led to his son's cure. Despite the doubts and uncertainties in their life, the man chose to believe in the kindness and healing power of Jesus.

We are invited to continuously deepen our faith by holding on to Jesus, especially when troubled and in doubt. Though holding on is easier said than done, saints like today's St. Jane Frances de Chantal held on to Jesus amidst trials and adversities.

May God give us the grace to recognize him and hold on to his hand even when doubt makes it easier to let go.